HB 151-MEDICAL ASSISTANCE: CHILDREN UNDER AGE 6  4:40:41 PM CHAIR MINA announced that the next order of business was HOUSE BILL NO. 151, "An Act relating to continuous eligibility for medical assistance for children under six years of age; and providing for an effective date." [Before the committee, adopted on 4/10/25, was the proposed committee substitute (CS), Version 34-LS0571\N, A. Radford, 3/29/25 ("Version N").] 4:40:55 PM CHAIR MINA opened public testimony on HB 151, [Version N]. 4:41:21 PM HEIDI HAAS, President, Alaska Infant Learning Program Association, testified in support of HB 151. She said she believes HB 151 would ensure children aged 0-6 would receive appropriate care and reduce the administrative burden on physicians and the State of Alaska. She emphasized the positive life outcomes that are associated with continuous healthcare coverage throughout childhood. She added that about 57 percent of children aged 0-3 enrolled in early intervention services in Alaska are on Medicaid and the annual recertification process is a significant burden to families and obstructs continuous care to the youngest Alaskans. She said that HB 151 would benefit both Alaska's children and the providers who serve them. 4:43:49 PM CHAIR MINA, after ascertaining there was no one else who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 151, [Version N]. 4:46:57 PM DEB ETHERIDGE, Director, Division of Public Assistance, Department of Health, , in response to a series of questions from Representative Prax, stated that approximately 27,000 children under the age of 5 are enrolled in a Medicaid program and those children are continuously enrolled. She said that some individuals miss their period of continuous reenrollment, causing them to leave Medicaid with the need to reenroll. She said that Medicaid is always the payer of last resort, making a parent's employer the primary insurer of a child and Medicaid the secondary payer. Ms. Etheridge added that there have recently been higher rates of procedural disenrollment due to individuals not being familiar with reenrollment. Under HB 151, there would be no requirement to return a reenrollment form for a child remaining on Medicaid. She said that she cannot predict the gamut of services provided to children under three years old. 4:51:47 PM MS. ETHRIDGE, in response to a series of questions from Representative Ruffridge, stated that Medicaid currently provides children in Alaska with continuous eligibility through the first year of their lives. She said if an individual meets any category of continued eligibility, then they will be continuously enrolled for the next year. She added that each year the Division of Public Assistance must determine if a child is eligible for continued Medicaid coverage. 4:55:53 PM MS. ETHRIDGE, in response to Representative Gray, stated that foster children are continuously eligible for Medicaid, even after adoption, aged 0-18. 4:56:58 PM MS. ETHRIDGE, in response to Representative Ruffridge, stated that if an individual's Medicaid is eligible, then it is active. She stated that there is an annual redetermination of eligibility, but under HB 151 that burden would be on DOH rather than the parents of a child aged 0-6. 4:58:14 PM MS. ETHRIDGE, in response to Representative Prax, stated that in order to receive Medicaid administered by Alaska, an individual must be a resident of Alaska; if an individual transitions to another state, they would need to apply through that state for Medicaid benefits. She described some exceptions, including the case of temporary residence in a medical facility outside of one's state of residence. Ms. Etheridge described the process of retroactive eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid. 5:01:20 PM CHAIR MINA announced that she would entertain a motion to move HB 151, Version N, from committee. 5:01:30 PM REPRESENTATIVE MEARS moved to report [CSHB 151, Version 34- LS0571\N, A. Radford, 3/29/25] out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 151(HSS) was reported out of the House Health and Social Services Standing Committee.